The Massachusetts State Council Knights of Columbus recently held its Installation of State Officers at St. Mary Church in Foxborough with a Mass celebrated by the Knights of Columbus State Chaplain and Boston auxiliary Bishop Robert Hennessey.

Installed were State Deputy Paul O'Sullivan of Foxborough, State Secretary Robert Morrison of Milford, State Treasurer Paul Flanagan of Stoughton, State Advocate Michael Lesperance of Millville, State Warden Robert Morrison of Milford and Immediate Past State Deputy Russell Steinbach of Dorchester.

In 2015, the Knights of Columbus set a new all-time record for the 17th consecutive year. The K of C charitable donations increased from 2014 by more than $1.5 million to a new total of over $175 million. In addition, the Knights achieved their highest level of charitable service in 2015, volunteering more than 73.5 million hours of service. The number of service hours contributed by Knights rose in 2015 by more than a million over the previous year's total.

The Knights of Columbus charitable activities encompass an almost infinite variety of local, national and international projects. From international charitable partnerships with Special Olympics, the Global Wheelchair Mission and Habitat for Humanity to our own Food for Families and Coats for Kids projects and other local charities, the opportunity to work together with fellow Knights and their families is virtually endless.

"We are answering Pope Francis's call to go to the peripheries," Supreme Knight Carl Anderson said. "We can reach half way around the globe to help those in need and we can reach to our neighbor next door. And we do that every day. That makes us witnesses to the faith."